Returnable billing envelope



Nov. 19, 1963 J. R. PEACH RETURNABLE BILLING ENVELOPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 16, 1961 INVENTOR. da/m 1?. Peach Nov. 19, 1963 J. R. PEACH3, 1, 57

RETURNABLE BILLING ENVELOPE Filed Jan. 16, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25' I1ZZ V f' 52:51:; 2a 37' m H H INVENTO dob/7 E. Pa 06 g 'g. 15. y if HORNEK United States Patent 3,111,257 RETURNABLE BILLEJG ENVELOPE John RPeach, 823 Quincy Bldg, Topeka, Kans- Filed Jan. 16, 1961, Ser. No.82,777 Claims. (Cl. 229-73) This invention relates to billing envelopesand refers more particularly to returnable billing envelopes which maybe employed twice, a first time by the billing agency or company sendingthe bill to the customer, and the second by the customer in returningpayment to the company with or without the bill also enclosed.

An object of the invention is to provide a returnable envelopeconstruction adapted for both sending the bills and returning thepayment which is cheap to manufacture and serviceable in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an enve lope of the typedescribed which requires no gluing together of parts thereof in theforming operation, merely glue application to tabs, die cutting,printing and heat sealing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a returnable billingenvelope having :a window therein adapted for both sending of bills andreturning the payment therefor which does not require addressing forreturn by the recipient of the bill and wherein the same address windowmay be utilized for both the sending and return passages of theenvelope.

Another object of the invention is to provide a returnable billingenvelope which rnay be provided in various shapes and sizes whereby toadapt to different types and sizes of billing cards and letters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a returnable billingenvelope which may be employed with punch card type bills, the envelopeso formed that the punch card itself may be employed to provide both thecustomers name and address printed on one side thereof and the returnaddressee has his or its address printed on the other side thereof, theenvelope adapted to display one in separate billing and payment returnmail passages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a billing and returnenvelope having an address window in one panel thereof, the addresswindow covered by a transparent material which also reinforces theentire panel containing the window thereby adding strength to the mostexposed envelope portion, namely, the window edges.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rein forced billing andreturn envelope having a window in one panel thereof, the reinforcementof the window and panel containing same such as to permit thefabrication of the envelope out of a lighter weight paper stock thanpreviously possible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window billing andreturn envelope which can be manufactured more cheaply than standardenvelopes as well as conventional window-type envelopes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a billing and returnenvelope which has a transparency covered window therein, the envelopealternatively providable with a sealed window or a pocket windowwhereby, in the latter form, to permit the insertion and removable of anaddress card.

Another object of the invention is to provide a billing and returnenvelope which is easily opened by the customer, of simple, neatconstruction whereas to be readily understood for rescaling and reuseand which is of rugged construction whereby to safely both transmit thebill and the return payment therefor without loss of or damage to theenvelope.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course ofthe following description thereof.

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In the drawings, which form a part of the instant specification and areto be read in conjunction therewith, embodiments of the invention areshown and, in the various views, like numerals are employed toindicatelike parts.

FIGS. 1-8, inclusive, illustrate a first form of the envelopeconstituting the instant improvement, while FIGS. 9-14, inclusive,illustrate a second form thereof.

FIG. 1 is a view of a return envelope blank showing the side thereofwhich constitutes the outside of the envelope when formed into thefinished envelope.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, but of the other side of thesaid envelope.

FIG. 3 is a view of the front side of the assembled return envelope fromthe blank of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the use of the envelope in its firstpassage from the billing agency to the customer.

FIG. 4 is a view of the rear side of the envelope of FIG. 3 with theenvelope being opened to provide access to the contents thereof and alsoaccess to the mechanism for rescaling the envelope to return same to thebilling agency from the customer.

FIG. 5 is a view of the front side of the assembled return envelope ofFIGS. 3 and 4 illustrating the rescaling of the envelope for return tothe billing agency from the customer, the envelope shown after a 360rotation of the seal flap released in FIG. 4 to reach the position shownin FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 3 in the direction ofthe arrows.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3 in the direction ofthe arrows.

FIG. 8 is a view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 5 in the direction ofthe arrows.

FIG. 9 is a view of a return envelope blank of a modified form from thatshown in FIGS. 18, inclusive, the view the same as that of FIG. 1,namely, of the side of the blank which would be the outside of theassembled envelope.

FIG. 10 is a view of the blank of FIG. 9 from the opposite side thereof.

FIG. 11 is a view of the assembled envelope blank of FIGS. 9 and 10assembled for the first passage from the billing agency to the customer.

FIG. 12 is a view like that of FIG. 4 but involving the envelope ofFIGS. 9 and 10.

FIG. 13 is a view of the return front side of the billing envelope ofthe four previous figures, but assembled and sealed for the returnpassage from the customer to the billing agency.

FIG. 14 is a view taken along the line 14--14 of FIG. 11 in the arrows.

FIG. 15 is a view taken along the line 1515- of FIG. 13 in the directionof the arrows.

Referring first to the modification of the return envelope shown inFIGS. 1-8, inclusive, the blank in FIGS. 1 and 2 has an upper panelgenerally indicated 20 having front and rear sides 20a and 20b, a lowerpanel generally indicated 21 having front andrear sides 21a and 21b, anupper seal flange 22 and a lower seal flange 23. Fold line 24 dividesthe upper and lower panels from one another. Fold line 25 divides theupper seal flange 22 from upper panel 20. Fold line 26 divides lowerpanel 21 from lower seal flange 23. A first weakened line of severance27 is positioned on or closely adjacent to the upper fold line 25. Asecond weakened line of severance 28 is positioned parallel to but belowthe free end of upper seal flange 22 whereby to provide for a gummedarea 29 (FIG. 2). An elongate gummed area 30 is provided along the freeedge of the lower seal flange 23 on the same side of the blank as thatcarrying the gummed zone 29.

An opening or window 31 is formed through upper panel 20 between theedges thereof, preferably of substantially rectangular form. The upperextension 32 of said window may be provided for certain'types of billingcards and systems. A small window 33 to overlie the window portion 32 inthe condition of FIG. 5 may be provided in lower seal flange 23. Atransparent sheet of resilient material such as polyethylene film or thelike is heat sealed to or otherwise uniformly attached to the rear faceof top panel between fold lines 24 and 25. Sheet 34 is sealed around theedges of the window 31.

The return envelope blank is preferably of substantially rectangularform with parallel side and end edges. The corners of seal flanges 22and 23 are preferably rounded off, as shown, with the side edges of sealflange 23 inwardly formed as at 23a and 23b whereby to fit inside ofseal flange 22 (see FIG. 4). The distance between fold lines-24'=and 26and 24 and 27 is preferably equal whereby the upper and lower panelswill lie in congruent relationship in the formed envelope. The distancefrom the fold line 26 to the free edge of seal flange 23 is preferablyequal to or less than the distance from fold line to line of severance28.

A return address blank 35 is optionally but preferably printed on sealflange 23 on the side of the blank opposite sheet 34 with a stampplacement square 36 also preferably printed on the same side at theopposite end of seal flange 23. The billers return address is preferablyprinted on the same side of the blank as the printed indicia immediatelydescribed and on the side opposite sheet 34 as at 37. The nature ofsheet 34 must be such as to permit heat sealing to the paper of whichpanel 21 is formed, in order to form the sealed, side edges of theenvelope.

To assemble the envelope for its passage from the billing agency to thecustomer, reference is made to FIG. 2. Panel 21 is folded upwardly overpanel 20 (in the view of FIG. 2) whereby seal flange 23 lies againstseal flange 22. Application of heat from any suitable conventional meansthen seals the side edges of .panels 20 and 21 to one another. Thebilling agency may then insert the billing card 38 (FIGS. 3-8,inclusive) between the edges of panels 20 and 21 in the manner offilling an envelope. To seal the envelope to send the billing card orslip to the customer, upper seal flange 22 is folded toward the observerin the view of FIG. 2 and over seal flange 23 to form a seal in themanner of FIGS. 3 and 4. The righthand side of FIG. 4 shows the rearside of the envelope with seal flange 22 sealed to face 21a of panel 21by gummed portion 29. FIG. 3 shows the front side of the envelope withthe addressed billing card visible through the window 31. It should bepointed out that billing card 38 has the address of the customer on oneside thereof and the address of the billing agency on the other, printedor typed there by the billing agency. A stamp is then emplaced as at 3?on face 242a of upper panel 20 and the billing letter sent to thecustomer.

FIG. 4 shows the act of opening the envelope by the customer by rippingoff the panel defined on seal flange 22 by lines of severance 27 and 28.As this panel is ripped off, the lower seal flange 23 becomes visible onthe side thereof seen in FIG. 2. Thus gummed portion is also visible.Since the panel (the torn off portion thereof being designated 22a inFIG. 4) in its torn off portion being of greater width than the width ofthe entire seal flange 23, seal flange 23 is not caught under theremaining attached gummed portion of seal flange 22.

The customer inserts the billing slip or card with payment, preferablyin check form, in the envelope with the billing agency address visiblethrough window 31 as in FIG. 5 and then folds the lower seal panel inthe direction of the arrow in FIG. 4 whereby the lower seal flange 23overlies face 20a of panel 21 in the manner shown in FIG. 5. The gummedportion 30 of seal flange 23 then seals the said flange to the said faceof the said panel. Application of a stamp on the portion and indicationof 4 the senders return address on portion 35 complete the preparationof the envelope for the return passage. The billing company opens theenvelope by slitting same under the seal flange 23.

Turning to the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 9-15,inclusive, much of the construction of the return envelope blank and theenvelope constructable therefrom are identical to like parts of theblank and envelopes in FIGS. 1-8, inclusive, with the exception of (1)the manner of attachment of the transparent sheets 34 to the face Zitaof panel 2% and (2) the manner of displaying the address in the envelopeand (3) the port-ion of the envelope used to indicate the returnaddress. Therefore, all of the parts identical between the two formswill be numbered the same, but primed.

Referring first to the manner of inserting the forwarding address andparticularly to FIG. 10, sheet 34' is preferably heat sealed or fixeduniformly to the face 20b of panel 20' and is of such material as toheat seal to form the envelope in the manner previously described.However, in a zone between Window 31 and fold line 25, and to the sidesof window 31' and slightly therebelow, the sheet 34' is not sealed toface 20b whereby to provide a pocket '40 between the sheet 34' and face2% whereby a slip or card 50" may be slipped into and out of saidpocket. The slip or card 50 is typed or printed on only one side withthe billing agencys name, the name so spaced as to be visible throughthe window 31' when positioned in the pocket. The company inserts thecard or slip; the customer removes it and then employs the envelope asdescribed below for return.

Referring particularly to FIG. 9, and comparing FIG. 9 to FIG. 1, it maybe seen that the FIG. 9 form does not have the customers return addressand the stamp blank (designated at 35 and 36, respectively, in FIG. 1)on the flap 23. Instead, a customer return address indication 4b isplaced (in the view shown) in the lower right-hand corner of sheet 210,the stamp blank in the lower lefthand corner thereof as at at and theservice firms return address placed centrally of sheet 21a, upside downin the view shown, at 42.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 11, it will be seen that the envelope, as sentto the customer, is identical in arrangement in both these figures. Thecustomer, on receiving the envelope of FIG. 11, treats it exactly asshown in FiG. 4, namely, by tearing oif flap 22 from the rear side ofenvelope of FIG. 11 whereby to (1) open the envelope for inspection ofthe contents and (2) reveal flap 23 therebelow.

For return of the envelope with the customers check, however, instead ofthe replacement of the address slip in the pocket of the glassed sheetof the envelope, in the manner of FIG. 5 of the first modification,instead, the customer merely folds over flap 23' and seals it to therear side of the envelope (sheet 2042') utilizing sheet 21a as thecarrier of the return address to the service company and to carry thecustomers return address and the stamp.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the ends and obiects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is Within the scope of theclaims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A return envelope blank comprising an elongate strip of sheetmaterial, three vertically spaced, parallel fold lines dividing thestrip into an upper seal flange, an upper panel, a lower panel and alower seal flange, said. fold lines comprising an upper, a middle and alower fold line, respectively, a first weakened line of severanceadjacent to the upper fold line, a second weakened line of severance onsaid upper seal flange parallel to and above said first weakened line ofseverance but below the upper strip extremity, a portion of the stripabove the second weakened line of severance adhesively coated, saidupper panel having a window opening therein, said lower panel ofsubstantially the same height as said upper panel whereby when one ofthe panels is folded over on the fold line therebetween, the panels aresubstantially congruent with one another, an integral transparent sheetof material on the same side of said strip as the adhesive coat ng, saidintegral transparent sheet covering the entire panel including anywindow therein and attached thereto, said transparent sheet of heatsealable material at least in the side edge portions thereof, whereby topermit heat sealing of said sheet side edges and upper and lower panelside edges to one another to form an nvelope, said sheet additionally atleast heat sealed to said upper panel side around all sides of saidwindow except that side thereof next to the upper fold line, means forsealing the side edges of the panels to one another when folded on oneanother, a portion of said lower seal flange adhesively coated adjacentthe free edge thereof on the same side of the strip as the adhesivecoating on the upper seal flange, and at least one of the lower sealflange and upper seal flange being of a height no greater than theheight of the other seal flange from the fold line defining the same tothe adhesive thereon.

2. A return mailing envelope comprising a front panel of rectangularform having upper, lower and side edges, inner and outer sides and awindow therethrough, a tnansparent sheet of material positioned on theinner side of said front panel and covering the entire inner sidethereof, including said window and attached to said front panel innerside, said sheet of heat sealable material at least in the portionsthereof adjacent the side edges of said panel whereby to permit heatsealing of said panel side edges to the side edges of another panel ofsaid mailing envelope, said sheet heat sealed to said front panel innerside around all sides of said window except that side thereof next tothe upper edge of said front panel, a rear panel congruent in form withsaid front panel and secured to the lower and side edges of the innerside thereof by means of said transparent sheet, a primary sealingflange connected to the upper edge of said front panel, extending alongsubstantially the length thereof, and separated by a first fold linetherefrom, a pair of weakened lines of severance along said primarysealing flange extending substantially parallel to said first fold line,a first one of said lines of severance adjacent the first fold line anda second one adjacent the free edge of said flange, an adhesive coatingbetween the free edge of said flange and the second line of severance onthe side of the primary flange next the rear panel when the primaryflange is folded thereover, a second sealing flange connected to theupper edge of said rear panel, extending along substantially the lengththereof and separated by a second fold line therefrom, said secondsealing flange having an adhesive coating on the upper edge thereof onthe side thereof next the front panel when the second sealing flange isfolded thereover, the second flange of an extension above the rear panelbeing less than the extension of the first flange above the front panelat least by the width of the adhesive on the latter.

3. In a return envelope blank the combination comprising an elongatestrip of sheet material, two vertically spaced, parallel fold linesdividing the strip into an upper seal flange, an upper panel and a lowerpanel, the upper ed e of the upper seal flange adhesively coated, saidlower panel of substantially the same height as said upper panel wherebywhen one of the panels is folded over on the fold line therebetween thepanels are substantially congruent with one another, and a sheet ofmaterial on the same side of the strip as the adhesive coating thereoncovering the entire upper panel and attached thereto, said sheet of heatsealable material at least adjacent the side edges of said upper panel,whereby to permit sealing of the side edges of the upper and lower panelto one another to form an envelope.

4. In a mailing envelope the combination comprising a front panel ofrectangular form having upper, lower and side edges and inner and outersides, a sheet of material on the inner side of said panel covering theentire said panel and attached thereto, said sheet of heat sealablematerial at least adjacent the side edges of said panel whereby topermit sealing of the side edges thereof to the side edges of a rearpanel, a rear panel congruent in form with said front panel and securedto the lower and side edges thereof, the securernent to the side edgesthereof by means of said transparent sheet and heat sealing employingsame, a sealing flange connected to the upper edge of said front panel,extending along substantially the length thereof and separated by a foldline therefrom and an adhesive coating along the free edge of saidsealing flange.

5. In a mailing envelope, the combination comprising a front panel ofrectangular form having upper, lower and side edges and inner and outersides, a rear panel congruent in form with said front panel and securedto the lower and side edges thereof, a sheet of material between saidfront and rear panels congruent in form thereith and covering the entiresurface of one of said panels and attached thereto, said sheet of heatsealable material at least adjacent the side edges of the panel to whichit is attached whereby to permit heat sealing of the side edges thereofto the side edges of the other said panel, the securement of the frontand rear panels to one another by the side edges thereof by means ofsaid transparent sheet and heat sealing employing same, a sealing flangeconnected to the upper edge of one of said panels, extending alongsubstantially the length thereof and separated by a fold line therefrom,and an adhesive coating along the free edge of said sealing flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A RETURN ENVELOPE BLANK COMPRISING AN ELONGATE STRIP OF SHEETMATERIAL, THREE VERTICALLY SPACED, PARALLEL FOLD LINES DIVIDING THESTRIP INTO AN UPPER SEAL FLANGE, AN UPPER PANEL, A LOWER PANEL AND ALOWER SEAL FLANGE, SAID FOLD LINES COMPRISING AN UPPER, A MIDDLE AND ALOWER FOLD LINE, RESPECTIVELY, A FIRST WEAKENED LINE OF SEVERANCEADJACENT TO THE UPPER FOLD LINE, A SECOND WEAKENDED LINE OF SEVERANCE ONSAID UPPER SEAL FLANGE PARALLEL TO AND ABOVE SAID FIRST WEAKENED LINE OFSEVERANCE BUT BELOW THE UPPER STRIP EXTREMITY, A PORTION OF THE STRIPABOVE THE SECOND WEAKENED LINE OF SEVERANCE ADHESIVELY COATED, SAIDUPPER PANEL HAVING A WINDOW OPENING THEREIN, SAID LOWER PANEL OFSUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME HEIGHT AS SAID UPPER PANEL WHEREBY WHEN ONE OFTHE PANELS IS FOLDED OVER ON THE FOLD LINE THEREBETWEEN, THE PANELS ARESUBSTANTIALLY CONGRUENT WITH ONE ANOTHER, AN INTEGRAL TRANSPARENT SHEETOF MATERIAL ON THE SAME SIDE OF SAID STRIP AS THE ADHESIVE COATING, SAIDINTEGRAL TRANSPARENT SHEET COVERING THE ENTIRE PANEL INCLUDING ANYWINDOW THEREIN AND ATTACHED THERETO, SAID TRANSPARENT SHEET OF HEATSEALABLE MATERIAL AT LEAST IN THE SIDE EDGE PORTION THEREOF, WHEREBY TOPERMIT HEAT SEALING OF SAID SHEET SIDE EDGES AND UPPER AND LOWER PANELSIDE 0 EDGES TO ONE ANOTHER TO FORM AN ENVELOPE, SAID SHEET ADDITIONALAT LEAST HEAT SEALED TO SAID UPPER PANEL SIDE AROUND ALL SIDES OF SAIDWINDOW EXCEPT THAT SIDE THEREOF NEXT TO THE UPPER FOLD LINE, MEANS FORSEALING THE SIDE EDGES OF THE PANELS TO ONE ANOTHER WHEN FOLDED ON ONEANOTHER, A PORTION OF SAID LOWER SEAL FLANGE ADHESIVELY COATED ADJACENTTHE FREE EDGE THEREOF ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STRIP AS THE ADHESIVECOATING ON THE UPPER SEAL FLANGE, AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE LOWER SEALFLANGE AND UPPER SEAL FLANGE BEING OF A HEIGHT NO GREATER THAN THEHEIGHT OF THE OTHER SEAL FLANGE FROM THE FOLD LINE DEFINING THE SAME TOTHE ADHESIVE THEREON.